Arrow's Summer Glau: Isabel Will Try to 'Wedge Her Way' Between Oliver and Felicity

This Wednesday on Arrow (The CW, 8/7c), Diggle’s vendetta against Deadshot leads him to Russia, with Oliver and Felicity providing backup. Thing is, Isabel Rochev isn’t about to let her partner at Queen Consolidated jet off on a “business trip” without her involvement. Three’s company, four’s a crowd? Summer Glau shared with TVLine Isabel’s suspicions about Oliver and Felicity, and how breaking away from the boardroom might lead two parties into the bedroom.

TVLINE | Isabel thus far has been pretty refined, rather buttoned up. Maybe we’ll see a change in her this week?
There’s definitely going to be some new dimensions to Isabel, for sure. [Laughs] It’s going to be fun.

TVLINE | Why do she and Oliver lock horns this time around?
She’s been trying to assert her place in the company, and he’s gone and scheduled this supposed business trip to Russia – but she absolutely cannot let him go without her. So they get to Russia and since they’re not in the office, there’s more opportunity for them to get to know each others’ personality. Maybe things get revealed that otherwise would never have a chance to surface?

TVLINE | Does Isabel wonder why Oliver’s “driver” is part of this trip to Russia?
She wonders about Diggle, and she also wonders about Felicity. [Isabel] is in a power struggle with Oliver and she sees that Felicity is always at his side, always covering for him, she has his ear, she has his back… I think [Isabel] is trying to wedge her way in between their relationship – and she gets a chance to do that in this episode.

TVLINE | What, does she suspect they have more than a professional relationship going on…?
She’s going to turn up the heat on those two. She knows that there’s something going on…. I don’t want to give too much away about future episodes, but she’s going to keep pushing. She wants to be in control.

TVLINE | Does Isabel start to suspect that Oliver is involved in more than… well, whatever it is that Queen Consolidated does?
I like to think that she was already onto him. I think Isabel knows that he’s no dummy, he’s no party boy, that there’s something else going on. She’s starting to suspect him more and more, and respect him more and more. She sees that he’s more than meets the eye.

TVLINE | Did you get a chance to bust out some Russian?
I did! Not as much as Stephen [Amell], but yes, I do speak a little Russian. But I think he’s better at it than me – which is hard for me to admit!

TVLINE | In a pinch, does Isabel have any self-defense skills?
Oh, absolutely. If nothing else, the stilettos she wears are definitely a deadly weapon. Mmm-hmm….

TVLINE | The promo that’s out there would suggest that in addition to coming to appreciate Oliver’s boardroom skills, this is the week Isabel becomes privy to his bedroom skills….
[Laughs] Well, a lady doesn’t talk about such things, and Isabel is a lady, soooo… I’m going to keep that a secret. But Oliver does have a way with the ladies. I’m sure there will be complications.

TVLINE | In the promo, I can’t tell if Isabel’s look is come hither or “Catch you later.”
Maybe a little bit of both….

TVLINE | How many episodes do we have you for?
I was originally asked to do three, and now I’ve done… five? So it’s open. I love the cast and I think the show is beautifully done, so I’m game.

TVLINE | I was saying just the other day that the stunt work — and you probably can appreciate this, from your Terminator days — is pretty fantastic for a weekly series.
Yes! The very first time I watched the show, I turned to my sister and said, “They do amazing stunt work on this show.” It looks so good. Plus, there’s great storytelling, and the show is funny, too. So, yeah, I’m having a great time.

Summer isn’t the shows lead character,stephen is.I Love the fight scenes,but eveyone knows stephen can’t act to save his life.the dude is a wooden actor,so don’t make excuses for him.Robbie amell is even a better actor than he is
Am I the only one that’s over felicity’s misakes when she’s talking to oliver?last season it was cute,now am so over it
Hope no flashback scenes,I don’t watch them,I ffoward through them
Pls let the black canary return,her fight scenes with olivers are the bomb

Yeah, I’m in agreement with you regarding Amell. His abs got him this role :-) definitely not his acting abilities. I like the flashbacks in Arrow which for me is rare. So far that’s the only way to see Manu Bennett who I’m hoping makes it to present day at some point.

I think they are working toward revealing that Isabel Rochev (Summer Glau) is actually Talia. Notice that when Sarah first confronted the assasin Al-Owal last week he didn’t say Ra’s al Ghul is looking for you. He said “THE CHILD of Ra’s al Ghul is looking for you.” Its pretty clear that Isabel is more than she appears and she carries herself in very much the same dignified and stuck up way that Talia does. Just wait and see.

Speak for yourself. I didn’t think that was a “crappy twist” at all. In fact it’s one of the few times I’ve been surprised in TV/movies recently (the other being Breaking Bad consistently) given the lazy writing that seems to be taking over.

i saw the twist coming the second marion cotillard was cast in the role and spent the entire movie frustratedly wishing they would just hurry up and get it out of the way so we can get to the real story so that may have coloured my opinion of it. but seriously though it was a horribly telegraphed twist that most people figured out long before they saw the movie and the writers could have done a much better job with it.

I’m betting on Nyssa al Ghul instead. Nyssa is the Russian Born daughter of Ra’s al Ghul so Isabel Rochev is the perfect person to turn into an al Ghul. It’s fitting since isabel came into the picture after malcom died and Moira warned Ollie about her. That said I’m still hoping it might be Dusan al Ghul since Ra’s albino son would be a real shock to the audience.

I don’t see the CW doing that because Nyssa and Dusan are both very obscure characters: in that comic enthusiasts might know who they are but the vast majority of TV and movie viewers wouldn’t. Arrow has been very careful so far to touch on Batman story items: the introduction of Huntress, the mere mention of Ra’s al Ghul, Canary saying “you should be mindful of your surroundings” during the clock tower fight (a direct call back to Batman Begins). All of these are things the TV and movie viewing audience has already seen and understand for the most part. No. We’ll see the child of Ra’s al Ghul this season and I’m fairly certain it will be Talia.

Hopefully not, as isabel Rochev is a DC comic character of her own. Not just some alias for Talia Al’Ghul. I’m thinking all the League of Assassin stuff is just teasers. Ra’s or Talia won’t appear this season. We have a trifecta of bad guys in Isabel, Sebastian Blood and Dr. Anthony Ivo. No need to add more.

In the comics, Isabel was a former mistress of Robert Queen who saw herself as the legitimate heir to Queen Industries. On the show I’m thinking maybe she’s Robert’s illegitimate daughter (we know he was notoriously unfaithfull to Moira).

Well after seeing the episode, I certainly hope not! :) Although prior to that I would have agreed that would be an interesting twist, and certainly preferable to her being Talia. It’s not that I don’t expect Talia to show up – I think she probably will. But I just don’t want her to be Isabel. As others have said, Isabel Rochev is a DC character of her own, and also it would be too much of a copy of “Dark Knight Rises.” I’m hoping the writers have a little more originality than that. Also, hasn’t Isabel been on the news? So if she’s the child of Ra’s, wouldn’t Sara have known she was in town? I think Isabel probably does have some connections we don’t know about yet, but I’m hoping that doesn’t extend to her being a completely different character.

I am just about done with this Oliver and Felicity nonsense. I love Felicity as she is, PLEASE let her not become his love interest. The dynamic works as is and the one-sided crush is amusing. If they do decide to go there because of the fans that now have nothing to contribute to discussions about the show but shouts of “Olicity!”, please let it be like Clark and Chloe on Smallville – it happens, it ends, and he ends up with the person he’s supposed to, as in the comics. OLIVER AND LAUREL ARE ENDGAME.

I think this was the episode which ended the crush, setting up her flirtation with Barry Allen.

I think they’re doing a fairly good job of balancing Felicity as an IT specialist and Voice of Conscience (including to Sara) as well as a potential relationship interest. Fortunately shows are now beginning to realize that the relationship doesn’t have to go downhill when a couple gets together (e.g. Castle, Burn Notice, The Closer). so I have hope Felicity can remain as awesome as she is now.

I like Felicity as she is, but I also like the potential. So far Oliver and Felicity have been making each other better, unlike his relationship with Laurel which has dragged both characters down..

I use to be a big support of Oliver and Dinah (aka Laurel in Arrow) because of their history in the comics together. Black Canary and Green Arrow have been a couple for a long time.

Well, things have changed. The comic universes were rebooted and both the writers of Black Canary and for Green Arrow have stated they have no intention of getting the two together anytime soon. It’s time for Oliver to try something different, and in the show, Felicity seems to be an excellent match for him.

I like the chemistry between felicity and oliver. I dont see isabel and oliver having a proper relationship. Stephen amell plays the role of oliver really well, common hes green arrow. He isnt suppose to go around crying everytime someone he cares about gets hurt!!

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